Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full Hours

Segment 1: Fatherhood First: The Man Who Left the World Cup Jérémy Doku is living a soccer player’s ultimate dream: he’s playing in the FIFA World Cup. But this week he set that dream aside, leaving his team so he could be present for the birth of his son. Sadly, his decision was met with some blowback. Critics accused him of abandoning his duties, and one television personality went as far as to...

Segment 1: Marriage as a Ministry During his papacy, St. John Paul II detailed the challenges of evangelizing a world where words don’t matter and truth doesn’t exist. We can do this by living out the free, total, faithful, fruitful love that we receive from Christ in communion in our marriage and family lives. Dr. Greg Popcak has more. Segment 2: Immigration: Facts, Economics, and Morality Immigr...

Segment 1: God Preserves His People In today’s readings, we can see how God preserves His people in their faithfulness, because walking the narrow path of covenantal obedience and moral living is a crucial component of covenant life. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Education and the Free Society What is educating for liberty? Dr. Todd Flanders joins us with an historical overview to the question, and...

Segment 1: Echoes of an Angel: Remembering my Wife, Lost to Cancer Mike Romano, a producer for EWTN, recently lost his wife to cancer. While the family visited her grave on Mother’s Day, his son told him “Dad, you don’t have to be so sad every time we visit her. Mom wouldn’t want you to be sad because she’s rejoicing in heaven.” Mike shares his story. Segment 2: “The King’s Loyal Servant – But God...

Segment 1: Defending the Free Market (2 segments) We are excited to be broadcasting again from Acton University in Grand Rapids. Fr. Robert Sirico joins to discuss the conference and his newest book, Defending the Free Market. Segment 2: 100 th anniversary of the Shrine of the Little Flower The National Shrine of the Little Flower is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week. Judy Maten tells us...

Segment 1: “Even all the hairs of your head are counted.” (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reassures us that we have no reason to be afraid. God know the very number of the hairs on our head, and if even the sparrows are cared for, then we know we will be as well. Rob Corzine joins us to unpack the readings. Segment 2: Truth First Ministry Every one of us has been equipped perfectly for...

Segment 1: Treasures in Heaven In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us not to store our treasures on earth, but to store them up in Heaven, for were our treasure is our heart will be as well. What treasure occupies our deepest affection? What rival loyalties do we have within us for our devotion? What resentments do we have that remain unsolved? Or what spiritual blindness is clouding the way we live sp...

Segment 1: A Link between Smartphones and Declining Birth Rates? The US has been in a steep fertility decline for nearly two decades, and a new study may shed some light on one of the causes. The study used mobile coverage maps cross-referenced with fertility data to conclude that the release of the iPhone, the first modern smartphone, is associated with an accelerated decline in fertility that ha...

Segment 1: “Our Father, who art in heaven” In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to address God as our Father. God seeks sons who want to live in His presence, and the entire story of salvation history concerns divine sonship. Marcus has more. Segment 2: What Pope Leo Means for Fulton Sheen As the first American pope, Leo XIV is probably the most famous American Catholic in history. And in taking th...

Segment 1: Rights without Remedies? Any day now, the Supreme Court will decide whether America’s landmark law protecting the religious freedom of prisoners has any real teeth. The case concerns Damon Landor, a Rastafarian prisoner who grew out his dreadlocks as an expression of his faith, and who was forced by the guards to shave his head. The question before the Court is whether Landor can sue th...

Segment 1: “Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord” Today’s readings contain a consistent theme of faithfulness. God’s divine mercy flows through the human heart that seeks him. Those who are called to public ministry ought to have lives that are overflowing in the divine love of the Lord. Marcus has more. Segment 2: ‘Base Editing’ Embryos’ Takes a Further Unethical Step Recent bio...

Segment 1: The Most Critical Factor in Children Keeping the Faith A new study examining how parents can most effectively foster faith in their children found that the family home is the single most critical factor in determining whether a child retains their faith into adulthood. Greg Popcak has more. Segment 2: Newman Conference Celebrates Leaders in Catholic Education The Cardinal Newman Society...

Segment 1: Vatican II’s Misunderstood Message on Unity Critics of the Second Vatican say that the post-Vatican II church has compromised truth for the sake of unity with non-Catholics. But despite the efforts and actions of some Church members over the last several decades, the Council never taught that this unity should be achieved through doctrinal compromise. The Council never proposed that the...

Segment 1: The Legacy of Magna Carta On this day in 1215, on the fields of Runnymeade, the English King John signed one of the most important documents in Western Civilization – the Magna Carta. Marcus looks at its legacy. Segment 2: Americans Are of Two Minds About the ‘Moral Acceptability’ of Suicide A new Gallup poll reveals some striking insights into how Americans feel about assisted suicide....

Segment 1: Lessons From Naboth’s Murder Today’s First Reading tells the story of the murder of Naboth. And in the Gospel, Jesus gives us the famous command to turn the other cheek. Marcus unpacks the readings and examines how they are connected. Segment 2: What do we know about the Iran deal? President Trump announced yesterday that the United States and Iran have reached a deal, opening the Strai...

Segment 1: “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims that “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” It is a call for all of us to preach the Gospel. Rob Corzine unpacks the readings. Segment 2: Technology and the Fragmentation of Society (2 segments) Does digital technology make it more difficult to be a Christian? Colin Mil...

Segment 1: America’s consecration to the Sacred Heart On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, Dr. Marcus Peter reflects on America’s consecration to Christ by linking Deuteronomy, 1 John, Matthew, and St. Bonaventure to the pierced Heart of Jesus, the covenant love of God, and the urgent call for national repentance, personal conversion, and renewed Christian witness. Segment 2: Do Smartphones Deepe...

In Defense of Magnifica Humanitas Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas received tremendous criticism from numerous factions online as soon as the document was released, which prompted Marcus to consider if the people critiquing him had even read the document. Marcus took some time to read the document and to consider it before commenting on it and he shares his thoughts about the backgrou...

Why Millennial Women Like Me Are Rethinking the Pill It doesn’t take a medical degree to hypothesize that women’s healthcare has gone terribly wrong. It is almost entirely structured around either suppressing or bypassing the female reproductive system altogether. And it’s why women like Katelyn Shelton are rejecting hormonal birth control. She joins us with more. The Shocking Logic of the Incarna...

Segment 1: The Theology of Presence Andrea Picciotti-Bayer’s preteen daughter has recently developed a close friendship with another family’s toddler-aged children. This can serve as a model for Catholic living. She joins us. Segment 2: The Sacred and Immaculate Hearts (3 segments) We dive into this month’s celebration of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts with Steve Ray. This is a public episode. I...

Segment 1: “How long will you straddle the issue?” T oday’s readings begin with the great confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. The entire narrative is a challenge to all of us that we ought not have divided hearts when it comes to our life in covenant with the Lord. Marcus has more. Segment 2: What is Life Worth? Advice from the Ancients (2 segments) Why are so many...

Segment 1: The Lifelong Effects of Childhood Discipline Have you ever seen an adult behaving badly and wondered if they were ever disciplined as a kid? Childhood discipline has lifelong effects – and not just on how we behave. It also predicts the way we resolve conflicts as adults. We discuss Discipleship Discipline with Dr Greg Popcak. Segment 2: “The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug...

Segment 1: The Death and Rebirth of Dialogue Social media, the internet and other technologies give us an access to communication and information that our ancestors never could have dreamed of. And yet, we communicate worse than ever. Marcus reflects. Segment 2: An Invitation to Augustine’s “City of God” No work of Christian theology has left such an impact on the world and biblical interpretation...

Blessed are They Marcus shares some reflections on today’s readings and the Beatitudes. Genesis through the Eyes of the Church (3 segments) The book of Genesis is a deeply mysterious work, introducing the entire story of salvation history. Dr Mary Healy joins us to dive into its meaning. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episo...

Segment 1: Orwell’s Prophetic 1984 On June the 8th of 1949, George Orwell published 1984. Nearly eight decades later, the book is still unpleasantly fresh. It’s a diagnosis that was given before our society was even willing to admit it’s sick, and much of what he said turned out to be true. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Forgotten Heroes of Catholicism – The Other French Resistance Many people will h...